Tent stake

ABSTRACT

A co-axial tent stake intended for use by campers that is comprised of a long outer hollow tubular stake which has co-axially nested inside a shorter wire stake, inner wire stake can be removed from the outer stake by twisting off the end cap of the outer stake. The sharp point of the wire stake is sheathed by the outer hollow stake when stored. To reduce the weight of the co-axial tent stake, either stake or both stakes can be fabricated with carbon fiber composite materials.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0001] Tent stakes are used by backpackers to maintain the structuralintegrity of their tent. Lightweight tents typically utilize at leastfour and sometimes as many as 12 stakes. Many varieties of stakes areavailable on the market. Lightweight backpacking tent stakes are madefrom plastic, aluminum and titanium and are available in many differentcross-sections, including round tubes, solid wire, Y-cross-section, andT-cross-section. Lengths vary from 6 inches to 12 inches. This largevariety is due to the different types of surfaces upon which the tentmay be setup. The surface may be soft dirt, deep pine needles, rocks,sand, soft snow, icy snow, packed dirt, frozen ground, tree roots, andany combination of these surfaces. Many types of tent stakes proveuseless in some soils, such as a wire type stake in beach sand. Beachsand will require a fatter cross-section and a longer length to insurewind forces due not pull the stake out. But a long, fat stake will bendif pounded into a rocky soil. Snow requires long wide stakes; soils withtree roots need a short, sharp wire stake made of titanium that will notbend when hammered.

[0002] Backpackers strive for light weight and compact gear. Manybackpackers will carry several sets of stakes to be sure the tent willwork at all campsites. Typically a long tubular stake and a short wirestake are enough for all but extreme campsites. But tent stakes are easyto lose and are usually dirty and have sharp edges. It would bedesirable to carry a stake that combined the features of a long tubularstake and a short wire stake. It is also desirable to reduce the weightof the tent stake by using carbon fiber composite materials wherepossible.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0003] The invention is a co-axial tent stake optimized for use bylightweight backpackers that is comprised of a long outer hollow tubularstake which has co-axially nested inside a shorter solid rod stake. Theinner rod stake can be removed from the outer stake by twisting the endcap of the inner stake from its attachment to the outer stake. Thisallows the camper to use the long and fat outer stake in soft ground,sand, or snow or use the inner stiff rod stake in rocky, hard-packed, orroot-filled soils. The sharp point of the wire stake is sheathed by theouter hollow stake when stored in the backpack. The two stakes can betethered together with a string and also tethered to the tent strap toinsure they do not get lost. To reduce the weight of the co-axial tentstake, either stake or both stakes can be fabricated with aluminum,titanium, or carbon fiber composite materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is a view of the nested co-axial stake as it would be usedin soft soils.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a view of the inner stake partially removed from theouter stake.

[0006]FIG. 3 is the inner stake by itself as it would be used in hardsoils.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] The co-axial tent stake as shown in FIG. 1 is typically comprisedof two tent stakes, one nested coaxially inside the other, but can bethree or more stakes co-axially nested. The most universal and lighteststake will have a hollow outer stake 11 with a shaft of carbon fibercomposite and an inner stake of titanium rod as shown in FIG. 3 with asharp point 32. The inner stake shaft 31 is fitted with an aluminum endcap 12. Alternatively, the end cap 12 can be made of carbon fibercomposite material or another metal such as titanium or a high impactplastic. The end cap 12 can be one piece that, when removed with theattached inner stake 31, leaves no end cap remaining on the outer stakeshaft 11, or the end cap 12 can be constructed in two pieces such thatone piece is removable with the inner stake 31 and one piece remainsbehind bonded to the outer stake shaft 11. This would enable eachcomponent of the co-axial stake to be used independently as the outerstake will still have a wide top to retain the tie-down line from thetent or shelter. The end cap 12 can also be formed by molding thematerial used to manufacture stake 31 into a wider diameter, similar tothe head of a common nail.

[0008] The inner stake 31 is typically made of solid titanium for bendresistance with light weight, but other metal alloys can be used. Oralternatively, the inner stake 31 can be made of hollow metallic tubingor carbon fiber composite tubing typically used to make hunting arrows.If a carbon fiber inner stake is utilized, the tip of the stake will bereinforced with a pointed metal tip bonded inside the carbon fibertubing. The inner stake 31 of the prototypical stake is a solid titaniumwire to enable it to withstand being hammered with a rock or hammer intotight soils, rock cracks, or tree roots The inner stake 31 ispermanently bonded to the end cap 12 by force fitting it into a smallerhole in the aluminum end cap 12 or it can be bonded with high strengthepoxy or other method of attachment. A co-axial stake of the inventionmust have an end cap 12 that is tightly fixed to the shaft of the outerstake 11 when the two stakes are nested and used in the configurationshown in FIG. 1, when the stake will most commonly be pushed by hand orboot into sand or soft soils. The line from the tent or shelter will belooped around and under the end cap 12 and this force must not pull theinner stake of FIG. 3 loose from the outer stake shaft 11. To accomplishthis, the end cap 12 is attached to the stake shaft 11 by using apress-fit pin 21 inserted into the end cap 12 such that it slips into an‘L’ shaped slot 22 in the wall of the outer tube shaft 11. By pushingand turning, the hiker can mate the inner stake of FIG. 3 with the stakeshaft 11 such that they lock together. By twisting in the oppositedirection and pulling, the two stakes can be easily separated.Alternatively, the end cap 12 and outer stake shaft 11 can have matchingthreads to allow screwing and unscrewing the two stakes; a spring loadedball detent mechanism could be incorporated; a friction fit joint can befitted, or another method of connection could be used.

1. A tent stake of multiple parts comprising a) an outer stake with atubular cross-section; b) an inner stake with a solid cross-section;bonded to an end cap of a diameter larger than said outer stake; c)wherein said inner stake can be fixed coaxially inside said outer stake:2. A tent stake of multiple parts comprising a) a length of carbon fibercomposite tubing; b) an end cap of shorter length and greater diameterfitted to one end of said length; c) a metallic point bonded to theother end of said length.
 3. A tent stake of multiple parts comprisinga) an outer stake with a tubular cross-section; b) an inner stake with atubular cross-section wherein said inner stake is bonded to an end capof a diameter larger than said outer stake; c) wherein said inner stakecan be fixed coaxially inside said outer stake.